Demon Bait: Children of the Undying, Book 1 by Moira Rogers Read Free Book Online

to cover her chest. “Is the Global network back up, or did they contact you through your chip?”
    “We’ve got a good hacker.” The thin mattress didn’t have much give, not like the comfortable bed waiting for him back in Rochester. He perched on the edge and gave Marci enough space to hopefully make her feel secure. “He thinks he can override the system in the next twelve hours, but it would be a whole lot easier if he had some inside help.”
    She frowned. “I can’t unlock the building. I mean, I could , maybe, but if we’re under attack, it could put everyone at risk.”
    “Trip can lock it again,” he assured her. “Everyone will be safe. We’ll just be gone.” She was shaking her head before he finished speaking. “We? I haven’t agreed to leave with you, Gabe. We haven’t even talked about it, not really.”
    So much for sneaking it in. “So let’s talk.”
    “Now?” His acquiescence obviously surprised her. “Okay. I—I’m not sure Rochester is the place for me. I’ve pretty much figured out that I can’t stay here—I mean, who knows what’s going on?—but I have money. Credits. I can go anywhere.”
    His heart seized, and not at the subtle rejection. It was the thought of her climbing into one of the trucks that rolled between settlements, rigs run by hard-eyed, stone-cold crews of men no better than animals.
    Haulers made halfbloods look human. “How are you going to find safe passage?”
    “There are ways.” Marci hesitated and bit her lip. “Though I haven’t managed to find a foolproof one yet. I suppose it would be safer to continue that search in Rochester.”
    “Probably.” And maybe he could start breathing again. “If you help me get out of here, you’ll have a safe place to stay until you find a better one.”
    She studied him with wide eyes. “You have transportation? A plan?”
    “The start of a plan. I have an idea. And friends.” For the first time, he found it difficult to read her.
    Anything could be going on behind those big brown eyes. “Once we get out, I can get you safely back to Rochester.”
    “How? It’s miles from here.”
    “The same way I got here. It’s what I do, Marci.”
    She fidgeted and worried at her bottom lip with her teeth. “When the ADS fritzed out, you could tell. About me, I mean. The summoner blood. What about the demons outside?” Brutal as it was, he told her the truth. “I could tell before the ADS went offline. I could tell from four hallways down. A demon could tell from a mile away.”
    Marci went still. When she spoke, her voice was low. “Maybe I should just stay here.”
    “I can protect you.” He started to reach out, then hesitated. “You don’t know me. You don’t have any reason to trust me, but I haven’t lied to you. Ask me anything, and I’ll tell you the truth. Even if it’s an unpleasant one.”
    She didn’t move, but a hint of panic crept into her eyes. “You want to bind me.” Yes. And no—not when the words put fear in her eyes. “Mark you. But I won’t if you’re unwilling. I can’t if you’re unwilling, even if you tell me to. And if I can’t, then I’ll still get you to safety. It’s more dangerous, but I can fight demons. I do it damn near every trip.” Her hands curled around the blanket, so tightly her knuckles turned white. “Is it permanent?”
    “No. It’ll fade if I die, or I can remove it at any time. And if I tried to keep you marked against your will…” Zel would cut him into pieces. Maybe literally. “It doesn’t happen. It’s not allowed.” Marci sat still—barely breathing, her eyes unfocused. “I don’t have a choice.”
    “Of course you do.” He tried to catch her gaze. “I told you, I can’t do it if you don’t want me to.”
    “No, I—” She shuddered. “I can’t stay here. The Council was already putting techs through tests and scans. After this, they’ll check everyone out.” As much as Gabe had tried to convince her to accept that